Wasting Time
by Avarici
Summary: I can't help but wonder why you'd ever waste your time with me! Takes place after HBP and Voldemort's downfall. Minor Spoilers


I am not J.K. Rowling, Therefore I have no idea how, where, when, by whom, or even if, Voldemort will be defeated, and I'm not going to try making something up about it either. I'm just lazy like that. But for our intents and purposes lets say he's dead and life is good Bill and Phlegm are married and everyone is at the burrow for whatever random reason okay?

Good. Ready set go!

Hermione Sat against the outer wall of the burrow her face buried Magical Herbs and Remedies: An Extensive Guide to First Aid. Ron smiled when hesaw her and sat down beside her with a piteous sigh.

Raising an eyebrow she glanced over to find him staring off into the sunset. He sat legs apart hands propped up on his knees. Hermione studied him for a few seconds and was about to return her attention to her book when he sighed again. Rolling her eyes Hermione closed her book and set it down beside her. She turned her head in his direction and reluctantly asked, "What's wrong now?"

"I just need a break," He sighed turning to face her, "After a while it just gets down right nauseating."

"Harry and Ginny?"

"He's like a brother to me, I'd never consider him anything less, and my sister. It's really gross if you think about it."

Hermione shook her head.

"You're just jealous."

"I guess you're right," Ron stated after a slight pause, Hermione's eyes widened at this comment, "I mean there's Bill and Fluer, Tonks and Remus, Harry and Ginny, You and Krum . . ."

"I've already _told _you its not like that!"

"You still write him don't you?"

"I still write Professor McGonagall, does that mean I'm in love with her?"

"I don't know, you two are awfully chummy."

Hermione glared daggers and Ron and swiftly smacked his arm with her book.

"OW! I was kidding! Geez! You could have broken my arm with that thing!"

"It's not nearly as thick as you are." She muttered opening to the page she had studying earlier.

The pair sat in silence for quite some time before Ron felt the need to break it.

"So you and Krum are . . ."

"Friends!" She spat, obvious agitation in her voice.

"But fourth year . . ." He stopped when Hermione slammed her book down beside her and glared directly into his eyes.

"Listen closely _Ronald _because I am only going to tell you this one more time!" She crawled over and sat back on her knees directly in front of him.

"Fourth year Victor Krum asked me to the Yule Ball. Days after it was announced. At first I told him no, wanting to keep my options open, but when I realized _nobody else _was going to ask I said yes. Following me so far?"

Ron nodded curtly.

"Good," she spat, "Over the next few months I got to know him better. Then one day he told me something," her voice softened and Ron detected the slightest hint of sadness. "He told me I was the only friend I ever had, the only person who treated him like a regular wizard instead of some Quidditch playing god." She paused and looked down at her knees. "I knew exactly how he felt. You and Harry were my first friends." She wiped at here eyes with her sleeves.

"Hermione," Ron whispered.

"I'm not finished!" She snapped her glare quickly returning. "After that he . . . he kissed me." Ron looked away as Hermione looked down at her knees once more her face completely pink.

"And after that you snogged each other senseless every chance you got," Ron began, folding his arms across his chest, "You really don't have to go into detail."

"NO!" She shouted placing both her hands on his knees. Startled Ron turned his gaze immediately to her hands then quickly to her eyes. She rapidly removed the offending appendages and placed them in her lap. Staring at their nervous fidgeting, which she seemed unable to stop, her hair fell down into her face hiding the blush that had recently deepened.

"Itwasawful." She muttered quietly.

"What?"

"I said it was awful!" She shouted looking up once again, though not at Ron. Her mouth contorted as she tried to repress a smile. "Like . . . like a fish"

Ron laughed but quickly covered his mouth.

"After that I was always finding some way to get out of it. A book, chewing on a quill, food, 'I think I hear Professor Snape Calling', 'Oh dear I've left my homework back in the common room' and of course tying my shoes." She sighed heavily. "Once the second task was over I explained things to him."

"But you went to visit him over the summer!"

"I come visit you every summer."

"That's different."

"Not really. Besides I only went once, he got married in our 6th year."

"WHAT? Why didn't you tell me that?"

"Well first off its none of your business and second you always stormed off in a fuss every time his name came up."

"I never did that!"

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't!"

"It wasn't just with me either! Any time _anyone_ mentioned the his name you started acting like a big overgrown baby! Even ask Harry!"

"I did not." He muttered folding his arms again and looking a way with a pout. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe I was such a prat."

"I can."

"I mean 6th year and that whole Lavender thing," he shuddered, "I was terrible to you." Ron looked up at Hermione to find her head down, her hair covering her face again. She shook her head.

"No . . . "

"Yes Hermione! I was trying to get back at you for something you never did and I . . . "

Hermione looked up and Ron was rendered speechless when he saw the look on her face. It was a look he had never seen before. She looked weak, absolutely helpless, as if she would break if he so much as breathed on her.

"We really don't need to talk about it," she whispered, "its over."

"Hermione," Ron whispered placing his hand on her shoulder, "Whats wrong?"

She stared intently at her knees once more. "6th year . . . it was . . . I . . ." she took a deep breath, "Victor stopped writing, Ginny had a new boyfriend of the month, Harry was always off hunting down Malfoy, and when you weren't off at Quidditch with him you were with Lavender. And I . . . " she paused as her voice broke, "I was back to being a bossy know-it-all with no one but my books to keep me company, then professor Dumbledoor . . . It was just too much." She finished, her voice beginning to tremble.

"'Mione" Ron sighed as her pulled her against him and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I'm sorry." Hermione took a shuddering breath then broke into tears. She sobbed into his chest both hands clinging desperately to his shirt while he held her tightly, running his hands slowly across her back

"This is really uncomfortable." She mumbled a few minutes later.

"I didn't want to say anything." Ron replied as she pulled away wiping at her face with her sleeves. Ron pulled out his handkerchief which she gratefully accepted.

"Do I look like I've been crying?" She asked.

"Well your eyes are all puffy and your face is really red and splotchy . . . " Hermione drew her eyebrows together as if she might cry again. "But . . . I . . ." Ron blushed and quickly looked away, "I still think you're beautiful."

Hermione smiled and with a little sniffle said, "I can't go inside like this. I don't want everyone to know I've been crying, especially Ginny."

"Why? Everyone will just assume I said something stupid and made you cry like I always do."

"You don't always make me cry . . ."

"Its not like I _try_ to make you angry."

"Well maybe you should think before you tell someone they look like crap." She said with a scowl.

"I was just being honest!"

"I know but still!"

"It's not like I want to make you cry!"

"I know."

"I don't _enjoy_ yelling bouts with you! You're all I ever think about and you're so smart and . . . _perfect_ I can't help but wonder why you'd ever waste your time with me!"

Hermione stared off into the sunset for a moment before responding.

"Because you make me laugh harder than any one else and the look on your face whenever you beat Harry at Wizard's Chess never gets old, and," she paused as a slight blush crept across her nose. "and the way your ears turn pink when I catch you looking at me." Hermione looked at the red faced boy in front of her and smiled. "I love wasting time with you more than anything."

"Anything?" He asked skeptically raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. "Even more than reading."

Ron grinned. "Well then, I guess we should waste time together more often."

. . . The End . . .

Quite ubrupt I know >>

Yes . . . I would like to apologize if this seems a bit rough, the gods of formatting hate me, and it's straight out of my head. I needed towrite so I would stop obsessing over it and focus on more mundane things like my job.I am working on the sequel, BUT I need someone to proof read it for minor detail fixing, name spelling, and all that good stuff because I'm not to keen on re-reading the entire series to find that stuff out. If you are interested drop me a line at Thanks in advance.


End file.
